Partial bandwidth request techniques in wireless networks

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a method of requesting bandwidth allocation in a wireless network, comprising using a partial bandwidth request by a mobile station (MS) operable in the wireless network to a base station (BS) operable in the wireless network, wherein the partial bandwidth request requests bandwidth for only a portion of all packets in an uplink (UL) queue.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method of requesting bandwidth allocation for a mobile station (MS) in a wireless network, comprising:
 using a partial bandwidth request by the MS operable in said wireless network to a base station (BS) operable in said wireless network, wherein said partial bandwidth request requests bandwidth allocation for the MS for only a portion of all packets stored in an uplink (UL) queue of the MS; 
 applying a piggyback method that allows the MS to send the partial bandwidth request message with a data transmission that has been allocated by the BS to the MS when a piggyback transmission is available and a contention method to send the partial bandwidth request when a piggyback transmission is not available; and, 
 waiting a period of time at the MS before making an additional bandwidth request for at least one remaining portion of said packets stored in said UL queue of the MS, wherein waiting the period of time insures multiple bandwidth grants to increase a likelihood of applying the piggyback method. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting at least one grant size for said partial bandwidth request to create an improved potential for having a data transmission by the MS while a new packet is arriving at the MS by affecting how many bandwidth requests need to be made. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said MS sets a grant size of said bandwidth request to a total number of bytes in said UL queue so that it can transmit all the packets as soon as possible. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising inserting a gap between packets to smooth out traffic and reduce jitter. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising incorporating queue management to remove packets that have been successfully transmitted from said UL queue and also add packets that have newly arrived from an application into said UL queue. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said wireless network is a network conforming to the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard. 
     
     
       7. A mobile user terminal, comprising:
 a mobile station (MS) with a transceiver adapted for communication with a base station (BS) in a wireless network, said transceiver further adapted to: 
 request bandwidth allocation for the MS in said wireless network by using a partial bandwidth request to said BS, wherein said partial bandwidth request requests bandwidth for only a portion of all packets stored in an uplink (UL) queue of the MS; 
 apply a piggyback method that allows the MS to send the partial bandwidth request message with a data transmission that has been allocated by the BS to the MS when a piggyback transmission is available and a contention method to send the partial bandwidth request when a piggyback transmission is not available; and 
 wait a period of time at the MS before making an additional bandwidth request for at least one remaining portion of said packets stored in said UL queue of the MS in order to insure multiple bandwidth grants that increase a likelihood of applying the piggyback method. 
 
     
     
       8. The MS of  claim 7 , wherein the MS selects at least one grant size for said partial bandwidth request to create an improved potential for having a data transmission by the MS while a new packet is arriving at the MS by affecting how many bandwidth requests need to be made. 
     
     
       9. The MS of  claim 7 , wherein said MS sets a grant size of said bandwidth request to a total number of bytes in said UL queue so that it can transmit all the packets as soon as possible. 
     
     
       10. The MS of  claim 7 , further comprising said MS inserting a gap between packets to smooth out traffic and reduce jitter. 
     
     
       11. The MS of  claim 7 , further comprising incorporating queue management to remove packets that have been successfully transmitted from said UL queue and also add packets that have newly arrived from an application into said UL queue. 
     
     
       12. The MS of  claim 7 , wherein said wireless network is a network conforming to the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard. 
     
     
       13. The mobile user terminal of  claim 7 , wherein the mobile user terminal is a mobile phone, laptop, or PDA. 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions, which when accessed, cause a machine to perform operations comprising:
 using a partial bandwidth request by a mobile station (MS) operable in said wireless network to a base station (BS) operable in said wireless network, wherein said partial bandwidth request requests bandwidth for the MS for only a portion of all packets stored in an uplink (UL) queue of the MS; 
 applying a piggyback method that allows the MS to send the partial bandwidth request message with a data transmission that has been allocated by the BS to the MS when a piggyback transmission is available and a contention method to send the partial bandwidth request when a piggyback transmission is not available; and 
 waiting a period of time at the MS before making an additional bandwidth request for at least one remaining portion of said packets stored in said UL queue of the MS, wherein waiting the period of time insures multiple bandwidth grants that increases a likelihood of applying the piggyback method. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions of  claim 14 , further comprising further instructions that select at least one grant size for said partial bandwidth request to create an improved potential for having a data transmission by the MS while a new packet is arriving at the MS by affecting how many bandwidth requests need to be made. 
     
     
       16. The computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions of  claim 14 , wherein said MS sets a grant size of said bandwidth request to a total number of bytes in said UL queue so that it can transmit all the packets as soon as possible. 
     
     
       17. The computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions of  claim 14 , further comprising further instructions which cause a machine to perform further operations comprising inserting a gap between packets to smooth out traffic and reduce jitter. 
     
     
       18. The computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions of  claim 14 , further comprising further instructions which cause a machine to perform further operations comprising, incorporating queue management to remove packets that have been successfully transmitted from said UL queue and also add packets that have newly arrived from an application into said UL queue. 
     
     
       19. The computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions of  claim 14 , wherein said wireless network is a network conforming to the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard.